Leanna Walker Remains Found A Month After Pennsylvania Teen Went Missing

The remains of Leanna Walker, a Pennsylvania teen who went missing last month, were found on a road in Pike County. State police have identified the human remains discovered in Milford Township as Walker’s.

The Times-Tribune reports that the 17-year-old’s remains were discovered on Sunday afternoon at 103 Llama Lane. A forensics team arrived from Erie to examine the evidence. An autopsy has been conducted, but results are pending. The investigation is still underway, police say.

Leanna went missing on April 18. Police say she left her home in Dingman Township at 2 p.m. with her boyfriend, Sky Michael McDonough, 24, of Milford.

McDonough isn’t charged with anything related to Walker’s death, but state police say he was arrested on April 26 over an arrest warrant from New Jersey on charges of burglary and fleeing police.

McDonough absconded from police later that same day after leading them to a wooded area of Milford Township near the llama farm where he and Walker had been camping. He was eventually located and taken into custody the next day. He was charged with escape and criminal trespass.

Trooper Devens says McDonough is currently being held at the Pike County Correctional Facility on $250,000 bail.

Pocono Record reports that Leanna Walker’s mother had warned her about her boyfriend.

Walker’s mother wasn’t aware that McDonough was 24 when he first started coming around, Diane Bostedo, Walker’s sister, said. He looked like he could have been younger — like around 18. Bostedo said her mother did what she could to stop the relationship.

“There was a time in the past when he had to be escorted out of her house by police,” Bostedo said.

Bostedo said McDonough had left Bon Secours psychiatric ward a month before that incident.

When Leanna Walker’s father met him, he got bad vibes about her boyfriend, too.

“Leanna’s father met him and said ‘This kid is out there. Something is up with him.’ My aunts — they all had this sense. I think she sensed it, too. She wanted to help him,” Bostedo added.

Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin confirms that Walker’s death is being investigated as a criminal homicide. The remains were found near the campsite where Walker was out with McDonough. It took investigators about five days to identify the remains as belonging to the missing Pennsylvania teen.

Bostedo said Leanna “advocated for people.” She was young and “naive to a lot of things” and was therefore blind to warning signs.

Bostedo talked with Leanna about McDonough four days before she went missing.

“I told her I know the history of him, and I don’t feel he is a good person, and I don’t think it is safe to be around him,” Bostedo recalled.

Their mother even considered filing an Order for Protection to keep McDonough away from Leanna.

Leanna Walker’s 16-year-old brother was the last family member to see her. He noticed McDonough coming out of the bathroom when their mother was at work. Bostedo said he called their mother because he knew she didn’t want him around.

State Police report that the human remains found near Milford are that of teen Leanna Walker, missing since April 19 pic.twitter.com/DDmXvx9WZD